


For Chloe

by dragonsandgayvampires



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, One Shot Collection, Secret Relationship, so many aus guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 19:28:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 19,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9563198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsandgayvampires/pseuds/dragonsandgayvampires
Summary: A series of one shots based on AUs given to me to write by the darling this is named after.





	1. Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Chloe! I love you so much.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Library AU

**\- - Simon - -**

I don’t think I’ve ever been in the library before, but I have no idea where Penny is and this is my last reasonable idea (the next one being that she’s gone for a swim in the lake out by the school, but seeing as it’s about 10 degrees out right now, this is my last hope).

I walk in and start to call for her before being angrily shushed by a grouchy looking lady behind the desk. “Oops,” I whisper – well, try to whisper, which Penny says is basically a normal talking voice for anyone else when I’m in ‘loud mode’ as she calls it– “sorry, but have you seen my friend Penny?” The lady just glares at me and puts her finger against her lip, so I shrug and decide to just wander the shelves and try and find her myself. _Too loud,_ I mentally rebuke myself. I’m always either too loud or too quiet. The only time I’m okay is when I’m with Penny. She’s good at letting me know. _‘Too loud, Simon,_ ’ she’ll say, or _‘I can’t hear you, love, a little louder?’_ I’m also not as anxious around her, so my tongue doesn’t freeze up and feel like lead, not anymore at least. I don’t choke over my words with her.  I shove my fingers into my jean pockets, desperately trying to regain feeling in them and wander deeper into the library. It smells old, but not bad. Like maybe a bunch of posh ancient  vampires lived here. The shelves tower overhead and I could probably get lost if I’m not careful. I’d need a trail of breadcrumbs or something to ever find my way back to the grouchy lady and the front door, but Penny will help me once I find her.

I keep wandering and weaving, peering around shelves and quietly whisper-screaming Penny’s name. I am hushed countless times by people sprawled on overstuffed chairs with thick books and annoyed frowns. After about thirty minutes I’ve given up; even if Penny is somewhere in this maze I’ll never find her. Plus, all the books are distracting (I’ve never been much of a reader, but the pictures on the covers are fun to look at).

Then another thing – well, person – catches my eye. He could be a posh library vampire if he were paler. He has long, dark hair pulled up in a messy bun like it was done up in a rush. Large hipster glasses are sliding off of his narrow nose- which is currently buried in a book. The shadows from the soft yellow lights in the ceiling fall against his face, accenting his sharp cheekbones and firm jawline. I stare open-mouthed at this boy, blinking a few times to make sure he isn’t just a figment of my imagination.

The boy sighs and shifts and I quickly push myself back behind the shelves, knocking over a couple of books as I move. _Shit, shit, shit,_ he probably heard that. I wait for a little while, listening for movement, but don’t hear anything. Maybe he didn’t hear it. I slowly move forward again, peering around the shelf. He’s still there, still reading. I drink in the sight of this absolutely beautiful boy. He coughs, startling me and I start to move back again- tripping over my shoelaces as I go. I fall to the floor with a loud bang, and land on my back. I turn my head and stare through the books, but the chairs on the other side are empty. The boy is gone. I sigh and turn my head back up to stare at the ceiling. Only-there’s a person in my way. Startling grey eyes meet mine and I swallow back a gulp. Wisps of his hair fall against his cheeks. He’s even more beautiful up close.

“Mind telling me why you were watching me?” His voice is deep, deeper than mine. And smooth. A light lilt following his words. I open my mouth to reply, and then shut it again and close my eyes. My verbal communication skills are shitty at best, and in front of a beautiful boy they’re bound to be horrible. I don’t want to ruin the moment (if this even is a moment).

A light thud to my left causes me to open them again and look over. His nose brushes mine from where he’s lying on the ground next to me and he smirks. “You’re staring again,” he whispers. I feel his breath against my face and smile a bit at him, blushing. He grins back and turns his head towards the ceiling. I stare a while longer before looking up as well. The ceiling is quite beautiful, with arches made of dark wood forming large frames for beautiful murals and paintings. We’re lying under a night sky, painted white stars shining down on us. He tilts his head towards me and points a long elegant finger up. “See those brighter stars? In the top corner?” he whispers, tracing them with his finger in the air. I nod. “That constellation is called Cassiopeia, named after a boastful Ethiopian queen in Greek mythology.”

I slowly turn my head away from the stars on the ceiling and back to him. To his bright eyes and small smile as he passionately explains the stories in the stars. He points out a couple of others before meeting my eyes again and pausing.

“I’m Baz.”

“Simon.” I whisper.

I watch him mouth my name, curving his lips around each letter as if treasuring and memorizing each one. _Simon._ “Well, Simon.” His voice is breathy and light, “what do you see in the stars?”

I look back up, glancing over at him continuously. He nods encouragingly. Hesitantly opening my mouth I wish to everything that words could tumble out but they catch in my throat. I press my lips together and close my eyes, trying to control my shaking hands. I almost wish that I had continued therapy, that it had worked so I could fucking talk to this beautiful boy. That my continuous panic attacks during behaviour therapy hadn’t finally made me give up. Deciding to instead learn sign language with Penny alongside me for rough situations anxiety-wise, where my words choked me and my mouth betrayed me.

“Hey, hey” he whispers, noticing my obvious distress. He reaches out and grabs my hand. “You’re okay, Simon” _oh how he says my name._ It rolls off his tongue easy and light. “You’re okay,” he repeats, “Do you wanna know what I see in the stars?” I clench my eyes together and nod trying to focus on my breathing. The last thing I want right now is a panic attack. Why couldn’t I have this? Just this. This beautiful boy with his smile and his whispers about the stars.

“Okay,” he continues and points again with his left hand, his other hand staying over mine. “Well if you connect those stars it looks kind of like a dog. I mean not really, but it’s called the _Canis Major._ Which basically means big dog. I suppose if you use your imagination you can see it. That’s what I love about constellations. You have to use your imagination, otherwise they’re just weird connect-the-dots that don’t look like anything at all.” He looks back at me and I squeeze his hand and smile at him, blinking slowly, trying to savor this wonderful moment. How did I end up on the floor staring at a painted sky with a beautiful boy who doesn’t care that I could barely get my name out. A beautiful boy who lights up when he’s talking about stars and who doesn’t seem to want to let go of my hand.

“Simon,” His breath caresses my face, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Would you like to go get coffee with me?”

“Yes,” I whisper back, my voice cracking slightly from unuse.

“Okay,” he says, “but first you have to answer one question.”

I nod eagerly.

He leans in, nose brushing mine. “Why were you watching me?”

I stare at his lips, not ready to look into his sharp grey eyes. “I- “ I pause, lick my lips, raise my eyes to his.

“You’re beautiful,” I breathe out.

He leans in closer, and his lips brush mine as he whispers back.

“You’re pretty cute too.”


	2. Pumpkin Mocha Breve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee Shop AU

**\-- Baz --**  
“Pumpkin mocha breve?”  
My order gets called and I stand, heading over to the counter, glancing at my phone as I reach for my drink. Only my fingers don’t reach my drink, they brush someone else’s hand instead. I glance up from my phone to see the cutest guy blushing and stammering.  
“Oh-oh my god i’m sorry, is this your drink? I thought she said pumpkin mocha breve.”  
I smirk. This boy is adorable. His hair is brushed back from his forehead in messy curls, as if he’s always running his hands through it. Freckles dot his nose and cheeks (which are blushed red) and he has a mole on his cheekbone and another on his eyelid. I suddenly realized I’ve been staring and cough a bit.  
“Um, no you didn’t hear wrong. That’s the drink I ordered.”  
“What?!” his eyes go wide and he turns and practically shouts across the small cafe, “Pen! Penny! This guy ordered the same drink as me!”  
It’s my turn to blush as a dark girl with bright purple hair to match her cat-eye glasses rolls her eyes at the boy and glances at me.   
“That’s great Simon,” She says, before turning back to her book.   
“I’m sorry,” the boy - Simon - turns back to me with a grin, “I’ve just never met someone who’s heard of it before.”  
“Ahem.”   
I’m pulled out of Simon’s deep blue eyes and turn to the barista, who I forgot was there.   
“Pumpkin mocha breve?” she asks again.  
I glance back at Simon. “You can have it,” I say.   
“No-no-no. I’m not in a hurry. You have it.”   
“Really, it’s fine.”  
“How about one of you just takes the drink?” The barista snaps, obviously annoyed.   
Simon looks affronted. “Agatha, chill.” he says.   
She rolls her eyes. “Simon just because you aren’t working today…” She pushes off the counter and walks back to the cash register, leaving the drink between us.   
I stare down at it for a second before looking back at Simon. “You work here?”  
“Yeah,” he says, smiling. “I kinda invented that drink.”  
And fuck, he looks so damn proud of himself and it makes my skin tingle. I shouldn’t like this boy so much, I just met him for Crowley’s sake.   
“Anyways…” he fades off staring at the drink.   
“Why don’t we just, wait for the other one?” I suggest, cautiously. “Then we can maybe go sit somewhere?”  
He breaks into an even bigger grin, which I didn’t know was possible and nods his head enthusiastically.   
“I’m Baz, by the way” I say, holding out my hand.  
“Simon,” He responds, slipping his hand into mine, “Simon Snow.”  
His hand is warm and soft.   
“And another pumpkin mocha breve,” Agatha calls, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder as she sets it down.   
I grab both drinks and start walking over to a table. Terrified that Simon might make up an excuse to leave now that we have our drinks. He follows behind me though and I slide into a corner table near the windows. He sits across from me and I pass him his drink.   
“So Snow,” I begin, “Tell me about yourself.”  
“Really?” he laughs, “You’re not even gonna be subtle about it?”  
I lean forward, “Does that make you nervous?”  
He blushes and glances from me to his coffee, drumming his fingers against it.  
“No,” he says quietly.   
“Good.” I lean back and stare openly at him. Taking in his curls and his moles and his blue blue eyes. The way he can’t seem to sit still and the blush still blooming across his nose.   
“Okay how about this? You tell me something about you, then I tell you something about me.”  
He takes a sip of his coffee.   
“Okay.” I can see him thinking.   
“I’m secretly the most powerful mage in the world,” he starts.   
“And I’m a vampire.” I say back. He raises his eyebrows and quirks a smile.  
“I love sour cherry scones.”  
“I play football. I’m a goalie.”  
“I hate sports.”   
I gasp at that. “And I hate messes.”  
I see Simon narrow his eyes as I rake mine down his rumpled shirt and crooked tie.  
“I write lists.”  
“I play the violin.”  
“I don’t have a middle name.”  
“My full name is Tyrranus Basilton Grimm-Pitch.”  
He laughs at that.   
“I really love goats.”  
“Really? I’m more of a cat person myself.”   
“I want to save the world.”   
“And I want to burn it down.”  
He smiles again and I lean forward, across the table.  
“I am hopelessly attracted to you Simon Snow.”  
He leans forward to meet me. His forehead resting against mine.  
I watch him swallow nervously. He opens his mouth and his breath brushes my face as he whispers.  
“I thought it was my turn.”  
“Well, you can just go now.”   
He moves even closer to me, if that’s possible.  
“I think I feel the same way, Tyrranus Basilton Grimm-Pitch.”  
“Baz.” I correct.  
“Baz” he agrees, leaning forward and brushing his lips against mine.   
He tastes of coffee and cinnamon and sunshine.   
I pull away slowly, unwilling and wanting more.  
“Would you go on a date with me?” I ask.  
He smiles and nods, lifting his coffee up between us to take a sip.  
“I thought that’s what we were doing.”  
“Okay,” I say. “Will you go on another date with me?”  
“Yes.”


	3. Right Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neck AU - you're welcome Chloe

“Baz! I’m home!” Simon waltzes into his and Penny’s apartment (though Baz is rarely not there as well), slamming the door shut. He sets the groceries he picked up (a bag of scones from the bakery down the street) in the kitchen and goes to find his boyfriend.  
“Baz?”  
“In here.” He follows the voice to their living room and finds Baz on the couch, hunched over the coffee table reading. He’s holding a pen between his lips and his eyebrows are furrowed in concentration. His hair is tied up and out of his eyes. Baz doesn’t look up, doesn’t seem to notice Simon until he is right in front of him, but obligingly moves back as Simon climbs onto his lap. Simon’s hands come up to his cheeks, fingers gently brushing back a few strands of hair Baz had missed. He gently presses a kiss to his lips and feels Baz smile and start to relax beneath him.  
“I missed you,” he breathes.  
Baz huffs a laugh, “Simon, you just saw me this morning.”  
“Mmm,” Simon agrees, moving his lips down Baz’s jaw.  
“Well if you missed me that much…” Baz trails off, grinding his hips up against Simon. Simon moves down to his neck, biting and sucking, slowly soothing the marks he leaves with his tongue. He loves Baz like this. Soft and pliable in his hands, melting into his touches. He’s moaning softly beneath his kisses, hands trailing loosely up and down his back before hooking his fingers into Simon’s belt loops and pulling him flush against him.  
“How long til Penny’s home?” Baz asks, his voice rough.  
Simon glances up, lips still moving against the pale expanse of Baz’s neck and shrugs distractedly.  
Baz rolls his eyes and moves to push Simon away. Simon protests, sinking his teeth gently into his neck.  
“Ow! Fuck, Simon.”  
He can feel an apology in the way Simon immediately begins to sooth the spot with his lips and tongue. Baz sighs and leans his head back, enjoying his ministrations before trying again.  
“Simon we can’t have a repeat of last week. That was mortifying. Besides, I have homework to do.” He gestures towards the book he had been reading, now lying abandoned on the floor where Simon probably knocked it over.  
“Okay,” Simon says, his lips still just whispering over Baz’s neck. “I’ll just stay-” he kisses his neck “-right-” another kiss “-here.” Baz huffs and reaches down to grab his book, Simon shuffling slightly to stay on his lap.  
“Really Simon?” Baz asks, a smile gracing his face.  
“Mmhm” Simon mumbles, ignoring him in favor of his neck.  
“Ugh, fine.” he complains, just for the sake of annoying his boyfriend. Baz honestly wouldn’t mind if they stayed like this forever.  
Another bite on his neck tells him Simon heard his complaint.  
“Ow! Stop it! Who’s the actual vampire here?”  
Simon just smiles into his neck and Baz wraps his arms around the boy in his lap. Of all the futures Baz had imagined for himself, he never would have thought he could have this: the Chosen One cuddled up against him. Then again, he also never would have thought that Simon could have a neck fetish. But he wasn’t complaining.


	4. Antagonistic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz get stuck in an elevator, things happen.

**\-- Simon --**  
I’m running late. This is a fairly common occurrence. I’m the sort of person that everything has a knack for going wrong around. Ebb is used to it though, so luckily I know I’m not going to lose my job because I woke up this morning a half hour later than I’m supposed too. After throwing on the first pieces of clothing I find (my ex-girlfriend’s purple lacrosse sweatshirt and some ripped jeans) I rush out of my apartment and into the elevator. I haven’t even brushed my hair, or eaten breakfast, or even glanced in the mirror this morning so of course it’s the morning when my perfect, snobbish neighbor decides to make an appearance.  
“Snow,” he nods his head as I rush into the elevator, my messenger bag catching on the doors and almost getting caught as they close. His long black hair is combed back neatly, his perfect eyebrows arched at my bedraggled, somewhat noisy appearance. Merlin, I hate him. Even his jeans look better on him than a normal person, clean and well-fitted.  
“Baz” I pant back, trying to catch my breath from my sprint to the elevator. Fuck, I need to start eating healthier. But Ebb’s cherry scones are so good, and I can eat as many as I want. Perks of working at the cafe. The elevator starts moving.  
“How’s the girlfriend?”  
“Fuck off”  
“Crowley, Snow. I’m just trying to have a polite conversation.”  
Baz hates my girlfriend (ex-girlfriend). And he hates smalltalk. He already knows we broke up, he would have heard her last week when she ended it and is just trying to rub it in. (Baz is always complaining about the thin walls between our apartments. But I’m not the one playing violin at ridiculous o’clock in the morning so he has nothing to complain about).  
“For fuck’s sake Baz I’m already having a shitty day. I’m late for work and I don’t need to have to deal with you along with that-”  
As I say that the elevator groans and shudders to a stop. I glance at the screen. It’s stuck at a three on the screen. The doors don’t open.  
“Just my luck,” Baz mutters.  
I don’t spare him a glance, rushing to the doors and pressing the floor button rapidly. The elevator doesn’t respond. No no no no no. This cannot be happening.  
“Aleister, Snow, maybe if you try pressing the button one more time it’ll work?” I glance up from where I’ve collapsed onto the floor in front of the rows of buttons. Baz is leaned against the elevator wall, arms crossed, smirking. Merlin I hate him.  
“The elevator’s not going anywhere Snow,” he continues. He pulls out his phone from his jeans pocket.  
“No but I’m going to be late!”  
He scoffs. “To that stupid job at Ebb’s cafe? Good riddance.”  
“Fuck off Baz!”  
“Trust me if I could I would- shit”  
“What?” I get up at his pause and move over to try and see the phone he’s glaring at.  
He pushes me away as I lean closer.  
“I don’t have service which means I can’t call anyone to fix this mess. Do you have your phone?”  
“Of course.” I reach into my bag to grab it.  
And freeze.  
“Crowley Snow just get the fucking phone I have places to be as well.”  
“I don't have it”  
“What” he stares at me, eyes narrowing.  
“I-” I think back to this morning, me running around the apartment in a maddening hopeless race to be on time.  
“I woke up late this morning, I forgot it”  
He swears again when I say that.  
“Look it's not like I want to be stuck here with you either!” I start.  
“No Snow! Do you realize that it could be fucking hours before old Davy or Miss Possibelf on third floor realize the elevator isn't working?”  
“Well, maybe-”  
“Maybe what? Huh?” Baz is totally flipping out. I mean, he always hates me but he's never lost his cool like this.  
He's pacing the length of the elevator and running his long fingers through his hair. Fuck, I'm going to be so late. Ebb is gonna hate me. Also I'm probably not going to get any sour cherry scones. My stomach growls and Baz stops his pacing and turns to glare at me.  
“What? I didn’t eat breakfast.”  
“Seriously?  
“I was running late!”  
He runs his hands through his hair.  
“Crowley Snow how thick can you be? You’re seriously concerned about breakfast right now? We are stuck. In an elevator. That’s maybe, maybe ten feet square. And you’re concerned about breakfast.”  
A thought occurs to me.  
“Baz? Are you- Are you claustrophobic?”  
“Shut the fuck up Snow.” He sighs and leans against the wall again. At least he’s not pacing. But Merlin, Baz, perfect, put-together, prissy Baz is claustrophobic. I don’t know what to do with that information.

 **\-- Baz --**  
It’s not that I’m claustrophobic exactly. I just can’t be stuck in here with him. My messy, loud, frustratingly adorable neighbor. And now he’s practically giving me heart eyes because he thinks I hate tight spaces. I need to do something to get him to stop.  
He opens his mouth to say something, probably something stupid cause it’s Snow.  
“Is it physically possible for you to be quiet for even one minute Snow?”  
His face turns red.  
“Well what if I don’t want to be quiet?”  
“Really Snow? I’m stuck in an elevator with you the least you could do is shut up.”  
“Well if you weren’t so fucking-” he pauses, hands floundering, searching for words.  
I’ve always found this interesting. Snow gesticulates more than he speaks. If he tried to say what he meant all the time he’s flounder for days before he got the words out of his mouth.  
“Fucking what? Snow? If I weren’t so fucking what?”  
“Antagonistic!”  
I smirk and lean back. “Wow, that’s a big word. Penny teach you that one?”  
He glares at me. I know I’m mean. I’ve heard Penny talk to him about speech therapy before. But it’s so entertaining to rile him up, watch him get messier and bigger and greater. He comes alive when he has someone to fight. It’s beautiful to watch.  
“If you weren’t so antagonistic,” he says again, “then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be stuck in here with you.”  
“Yeah, or if you weren’t so annoying,” I mutter.  
“What do you have against me anyway?” he asks. His eyes trail away from mine towards the floor.  
Just then a knock on the metal doors interrupt us.  
“This is Fire and Rescue! You guys okay in there? We got a call about some disturbance in the elevator? People complaining about the noise?”  
I keep my eyes on Simon as he perks up and rushes to the doors.  
“Yeah!” he yells. “We’re, uh, we’re stuck. The doors won’t open and the elevator isn’t, uh, moving, i think.”  
“You think?” I mutter. He glares at me.  
“It must be sweet Simon and that Basilton in there, always fighting those two,” I hear Miss Possibelf whisper. Of course she called. She’s always getting up in other people’s business.  
“Alright,” the fireman says against the doors. “How many of you are there?”  
“Uh, two” Simon replies. He glances at me.  
“Okay, just try not to kill each other til we get you out alright?” The fireman bangs on the door once. “It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes.”  
“No promises.” I reply, too softly for the fireman to hear.  
I hear a creak and a groan as the fireman starts to do whatever he’s doing to get us out. We’ve already been in here for half an hour, according to my phone.  
“What is wrong with you?” Simon turns to me, eyes blazing.  
“Wrong with me?”  
“Yeah. What the fuck is your problem with me? You’ve been like this ever since I moved in here and I am sick of it. I’ve given you no reason to hate me but you do.”  
Oh, Simon, I think, if only I could hate you.  
“I mean, sure I’m not the best neighbor. And yeah I’m a mess. But I’m not- I’m not fucking playing the fucking violin at three in the morning. And I’m not eavesdropping on private conversations. Oh, and yeah Agatha broke up with me so just rub that in my face while you’re at it. Happy? But I mean, if either of us has a reason to hate each other I think it should be me and I don’t hate you. You’re too-” He pauses, sucking in air. I don’t think he’s ever said so much at once.  
“Too what?” I ask quietly.  
“Perfect, Baz. You’re too bloody perfect.”  
And then I’m moving forward and my hands find his cheeks and my mouth finds his lips and I have him up against the doors of the elevator and I can’t think because why is he so beautiful and messy and glorious. I should not be doing this, but I can’t help it anymore. I can’t fucking help it anymore. And then Simon moves his hands into my hair and he’s pushing his mouth back against mine and it’s so, so good.  
I pull back, gasping, and press my forehead against his, looking at his blue, blue eyes. “I don’t hate you Simon. I wish I could, because you’re- fuck you’re bloody annoying and messy and loud, but it’s beautiful Simon. So yeah, I don’t hate you. I- I love you Simon.”  
His eyes grow wide, and I can feel my cheeks turning red before he’s pulling me back into him, kissing me hard. I lean into him, my eyes closing as I melt into the sensations. I’m kissing Simon Snow.  
And then there’s a loud clunk and the doors fall open. In a rush we both topple out, a tangle of limbs sprawled on the floor. Miss Possibelf, Old Davy, and the fireman stare down at us in surprise. Simon grins his gorgeous grin and blushes a glorious shade of red. I smirk from where I’m settled on top of us and look at the fireman.  
“I believe we owe you a thank you for getting us out of there. Even if it took ridiculously too long.”  
The fireman just blinks down at me, sprawled over Simon, whose lips are obviously swollen from kissing.  
“But you were- the yelling? What?”  
“Ah, yes, we’ve figured that out. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have places to be.” I pull Simon up and tug him forwards, dragging him up the stairs and towards my apartment.  
I hear quiet murmurs from the people we’ve left behind, specifically the fireman, who shakes his head and mutters, “What the fuck.”


	5. This is Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon's an artist, Baz plays the violin

It’s a brush stroke. Colours, lines. The curve of a neck. The balance of light and shadow. A bow across strings becomes a sensation of colour. It’s a man playing his violin. Focus visible on his brows, but his smirk telling a different story, of playfulness and passion. It’s no longer a man, but a manipulation of colour and emotion on canvas. A reflection of energy, rich and bold. A declaration of love that is too explosive to express in any language other than art. Simon loves it.  
\- -  
Baz loves it. He plays violin for hours. Fingers waltz across strings. Eyes on Simon. Always on Simon. The halo of golden hair. The curve of beautiful deep red wings that he no longer hides at home. The smudge of paint across his cheekbones, eyes constantly dancing between Baz and the canvas. He comes alive when he’s painting; in a way he only ever used to when he used magic.  
\- -  
This is love. This carefree quiet, an expression of life, a peace they had never had before. It shows in the dedication to detail when Simon paints. In the sensuality of the songs Baz plays. The room is filled with the mixed media of romance. They have found a home, carved it out of the lives they have left behind and created this masterpiece. This tranquility that says ‘we have time’, ‘we’re going to be okay’, ‘nothing can touch us here’. This is love.


	6. Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz accidentally switch phones

**\-- Simon --**  


 

I wake up to incessant beeping from my phone and glance at it. Shit! I’m late for work. I hurriedly throw on clothes, brush my fingers through my hair and grab my bag, locking my apartment door behind me. I’m halfway to the cafe I work at when I remember what woke me up. I pull out my phone and scroll through the notifications.

 

Penny: _ Simon!!! Call me when you get this _

 

Penny: _ Aren’t you supposed to be awake right now? _

 

Penny: _ Don’t you have work today? _

 

Penny: _ I’m in town so I’ll stop by at some point. Call me _

 

Looking down at my phone, I don’t even see the guy in front of me until I bump into him. Startled, I drop my phone. He must have also been glancing down because his phone clatters to the ground next to mine. 

“I’m so sorry,” I say as I crouch down to grab my phone. “I should have been paying attention, I’m just late and my friend-” 

I freeze when he crouches down beside me and my eyes meet his. Startling grey. I’m suddenly unable to remember what I was saying. 

He smiles, tucking his hair behind his ears.

“It’s fine.”

I smile back and pocket my phone. 

“I should, um. I mean, I’m late. So…”

He nods and slowly pushes himself back up . 

“Try not to run into anyone else,” he says.

I blush and head to work, slower this time.

Work is fine, I’m clumsy and slow but the other barista, Agatha, makes up for it.

It’s not until I get off work that I remember Penny’s texts. 

I take out my phone and immediately see three missed calls from a strange number. The phone starts buzzing in my hand, another call, and I hesitantly answer.

“Hello?”

“Oh thank Crowley.” A familiar voice says. “I ran into you earlier today and I think we accidentally switched phones. Could we meet up?”

“Oh!” I say, looking at my phone screen. The lockscreen  _ is _ different. “Um, yeah. Would tomorrow work?”

“What time?”

“Ebb’s cafe at-” I glance at my schedule. “4pm? I’m off work then.”

There’s as pause before he replies, “Yeah that works. I’m Baz by the way.”

“Simon,” I say.

“Okay, see you tomorrow Simon.” He hangs up and I slowly drop the phone to my side and grab my bag. I closed up the cafe tonight so I lock the door behind me and head home. 

 

\---

 

I actually wake up on time the next morning and get ready at a leisurely pace, checking myself over in the mirror a few more times when I remember I’m meeting up with that guy - Baz - today. I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder before heading off.

Both Agatha and Ebb are working today as well.

“Hiya Ebb!” I call, wrapping her up in a big hug.

“Simon!” Ebb says, wiping her eyes slightly. “I swear you get taller every time I see you.”

I laugh, “Ebb you saw me last week when you were in. You see me  _ every _ week.”

Ebb nods and rubs at her teary eyes again. I smile and grab my apron, moving to turn on the espresso machine. Around 8, business speeds up and I’m kept busy between attending to customers and glancing at the clock. 

Agatha notices of course and nudges me as she passes with a customer’s order. “Got a hot date or something?” she asks.

I can’t help the blush that blooms across my cheeks. The clock ticks closer and closer to four, and the cafe slowly gets less crowded. I’m wiping down tables when the bell jingles signaling someone walking in. 

I glance up and see dark hair and cheekbones, all sharp edges and handsome features. 

“Baz!” I say, hurriedly dropping the towel I’m using and wiping my hands on my apron.

“Give me just one moment.” I hurry behind the counter and shrug off my apron, grabbing my messenger bag. Agatha peers out of the kitchen and sees Baz, catching my eye to wink at me.

I glare back. 

Baz is literally a stranger I bumped into and stole a phone from, now is not the time to be focusing on his looks, or his deep voice, or the fire that lights in my stomach when he looks at me... _ fuck _ .

I set my bag on top of the counter and Baz comes to the other side, sliding my phone across it towards me. 

I start rummaging through my bag to find his and watch out of the corner of my eye as he leans against the counter and casually runs his fingers through his hair. I can’t help but think how soft it must be. 

“So…” he starts. I glance up for a moment before continuing to look through my things.

“I got a lot of messages from this Penny last night. I finally took the liberty to let her know what had happened, she seemed really worried about it.”

“Oh, yeah. I was supposed to message her. Sorry about that.” I say.

“She your girlfriend or something.”

I pause and look up, meeting his eyes straight on. My cheeks grow red and I stammer out, “N-no. I don’t like- I’m not- I’m not dating anyone.”

Baz smirks coolly and nods, as if he gets some sort of inside joke or something.

It frustrates me because I want to know what I’m thinking.

“S- so what about you? You have a girlfriend, or something?” I shrug.

His smile grows. “Or something?”

“I don’t know.” I mumble.

Baz ignores the question in favor of staring out the window and I continue to search my bag. I finally give up.

“Look, I think I left your phone in my apartment. I must have taken it out of my bag last night. I  could run and grab it or you could just come with me?”

“I’ll come.” He says.

I walk around the counter and he follows me out the door. 

“Bye Simon!” Agatha calls and then stage whispers “good luck with your date.”

I flip her off as I shut the door.

“Your date?” Baz asks as we set off down the sidewalk.

“N-nothing.” I say. “Agatha just likes to tease.”

Agatha had had a field day when I first came out to her as bi. She had actually been the first to come out to me as ace, when she broke up with me. But we still get along pretty well. Actually, we get along much better now that we’re just friends. 

It’s a short walk to my apartment, only ten minutes.

We pass the place I first ran into him and I can’t help but smile to myself. I have a cute boy coming back to my apartment with me because I’m so clumsy.

I unlock the door and kick it open, heading to my bedroom to try and find his phone. Baz pauses in the doorway and looks around, as if he’s mapping the place out in his head. After a bit, he walks a few steps further and shuts the door quietly.

I turn and dig through my bedside drawer, trying desperately to remember where I’ve put his phone. 

“I know I had it…” I mumble to myself, turning. Baz has suddenly appeared right behind me, well in front of me now. He’s so close I can feel his breaths against my cheek. My eyes automatically wander to his lips before snapping back up to his eyes. 

“I think I’ll go...” I gesture towards my living room, “check in there.”

Baz slides out of my way and follows me back out. 

“Aha!” I say, spotting it on the counter.

I hold it out to Baz and he takes his phone, his fingers brushing mine. 

“Thanks,” he says.

I nod and shove my hands in my pockets.

“Sorry about all this.” I say.

“Don’t worry about it.” he smiles at me, “It was partially my fault as well.”

I walk him to the door slowly, trying to draw out my time with him.

“Bye Baz.” I say as he walks out, “Try not to run into any strangers.”

He turns. “I don’t know. If they’re all as cute as you I don’t think I’d mind.” 

I’m pretty sure I stare open-mouthed for minutes after he walks away.

 

\---

 

Baz: _ I hope you don’t mind I took the liberty of putting my number in your phone _

 

Baz: _ Want to grab dinner with me? Saturday at 8? _

 

Baz: _ I can pick you up _

 

Me: _ Sounds perfect :) _


	7. Stand Up For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz in a secret relationship at Watford

“Where the hell have you been?!”  
Simon cringes when he realizes Baz is awake. He quietly shuts the door to their room and turns, blind in the dark.  
“Nowhere, don’t worry.”  
“Don’t worry? Snow! You were gone for hours! And it’s nearly three a.m.! How did you even get past the moat?”  
“I’m the chosen one, remember?”  
Baz scoffs and Simon starts changing into his pajamas, hissing softly in pain.  
“Simon?” The lights flick on at Baz’s **let there be light** , revealing bruises forming on Simon’s cheek and above his eye. A cut on his forehead.  
“What the fuck Simon?” Baz rushes out of his bed and is at Simon’s side in a moment. “What were you even doing?”  
“Nothing, Baz. I’m fine!” Simon shrugs away from Baz’s hand and Baz physically flinches at that. Simon immediately notices and reaches out for Baz’s pale cold hand. They’re just getting used to this. To a relationship. To not being enemies or always trying to kill each other. To soft kisses and flirting instead of threats. And sometimes Baz forgot. This had been his dream for so long, he was still terrified he would wake up.  
He watches Simon’s fingers entwine with his, warmth flooding his skin.  
“Look, I’m tired and uncomfortable, just let me go to bed.” Simon says softly.  
Baz moves his other hand up to Simon’s cheek. “At least let me take care of you first.”  
Simon nods assent and Baz turns to get supplies from the bathroom. He’s back with a first aid kit.  
“Shirt.”  
Simon slowly shrugs out of it and Baz would have appreciated the sight if it weren’t marred by dark bruises forming along his ribs.  
“Simon really, what happened?” He says as he moves him to sit on the bed and kneels in front of him.  
“Why aren’t we using magic?”  
“Because I’m tired, Simon. And you were out all night doing who knows what, you have to deal with the consequences.”  
He pulls the bandage into place around Simon’s ribs a little harder than necessary as he speaks and tucks it into place.  
Simon sucks in a sharp breath at the pain and slowly threads his hands through Baz’s hair. He tugs gently, bringing Baz’s steely eyes up from his wounds to his face. Baz’s eyes soften as he meets Simons’.  
“Look, it was stupid. I know. But some idiot was talking shit about you and I couldn’t just let it go.”  
Baz sighs, but can’t help the love and gentle heat he feels in his stomach.  
“People are going to say shit about me. I was kind of an ass. Not everyone is as forgiving as you are. I can handle it.”  
“Well I can’t.”  
“Simon” Baz starts.  
“No, Baz! I shouldn’t have to stand by and listen to people say bad things you!” he lowers his voice and leans down closer to Baz, “you’re my boyfriend and that means I get to stand up for you.”  
He pulls Baz into a soft kiss and Baz doesn’t protest, letting his eyes flutter closed.  
He pulls away slowly and stares at Simon full of awe and wonder. “I love you, Simon Snow.”  
Simon smiles, “I love you too, Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch.”  
“Now let me take care of your face, then we can go to bed.”  
Simon begrudgingly allows Baz to gently swab the cut on his face and cover it with a band-aid before pulling him by the hand into his bed. Baz curls up around Simon, their hands tangled together. He plants kisses against the moles on his shoulders until they fall asleep.


	8. A Green Jacket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blind Date AU

**\-- Simon --**  
“Hey Simon,” Penny says. And I glance up at her, my head in her lap as she reads some boring book with a big title. Her fingers fiddle with my hair and she glances down at me, her glasses sliding down her nose.  
“I have someone I want you to meet.”  
“What? Pen…” I say.  
“No no no! Hear me out Simon! They’re super sweet and nice and I think you guys would get along! I told them you would be willing to meet up.”  
“Penny, I’m not sure this is a good idea. Remember the last date you set me up with?”  
She cringes at that. And I shudder at the memory. Not a good time.  
“Please? Just one more time? For me?”  
I sigh.  
“Fine. When am I meeting them?”  
“Tonight? I have a date with Micah so…”  
“So you wanted to get me out of the house.” I joke.  
“C’mon, Si. It’ll be fun.” She shoves my shoulder playfully and I smile at her.  
Maybe I could have some fun, I think.

I’m totally regretting my decision to go along with this when I look at my wardrobe.  
“Penny, where am I meeting this mysterious person again?” I call.  
“Just a pub downtown! You can dress casual.”  
I pull on jeans and a maroon button up and walk out to the living room.  
Penny smiles at me. “Gorgeous. Now remember, dark green jacket.”  
“Right.” I say.  
“Have fun!”

I walk into the pub and glance around. Dark green jacket. Dark green jacket. And then I see him. Long black hair combed back neatly. A widow’s peak sharp on his forehead. High cheekbones and dark eyes. I have no idea what Penny was thinking, setting me up with a bloke but she probably knows better than me, so I shrug and head over.  
“Dark green jacket?” I ask, sliding into the seat across from him.  
He looks down at his outfit and then back up at me. “…yep.”  
I grin and hold out my hand. “I’m Simon, nice to meet you.”  
He slips his hand into mine. “Baz.”  
We slip into easy conversation and before long our food arrives.  
“So how do you know Penny?” I finally ask as we’re finishing our meal and beginning to look at desserts. This date has gone really well, so much better than I was expecting considering it’s me.  
“Sorry, who?”  
At that moment a tall girl with long blonde hair runs up to me.  
“I am so sorry I’m late Simon!” she says.  
I stare at her a moment, confused. Then I see her jacket. Her dark green jacket.  
“I’m Agatha, your date?”  
“Oh. Of course.” I say, startled. “Agatha.”  
I turn to Baz. “You mean? You’re not my date?”  
He leans back, arms folded and chuckles.  
“Oh.” Agatha says, looking like she’d just run into brick wall. “Wow, um. I’m sure Penny wouldn’t have set us up if she had known…” she gestures between me and Baz.  
“No!” I say, “I’m not- I mean. I’m both! I just-“ I bury my head in my hands and take a deep breath before turning back to Agatha.  
“It was nice to meet you, but I’m kinda in the middle of something right now. I’m sorry.”  
Agatha folds her arms. “No! no problem. I mean, it was my fault for being so late and practically standing you up.” she turns and leaves with a graceful smile.  
I grin sheepishly at Baz.  
“So... you weren’t here for a blind date?”  
He smiles back. “No, but it was quite a nice surprise when a cute boy sat down and bought me dinner.”  
“Would you like to maybe, see each other again?”  
He leans forward and grabs my hand.  
“I would love to.”


	9. Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> takes place over Christmas at Baz’s, after the kiss and before the humdrum appears; probably not canon compliant

**\-- Simon --**  
I wake up with the bed empty next to me. I’d given up sleeping on the couch after Baz and I well, kissed. I haven’t really let myself think about it, but I know I want to keep doing this, whatever this is. I roll over, pushing the sheets off my legs and look around.  
The fire in the hearth is just embers, glowing softly. Heavy red curtains block the light that threatens to shine through the windows. I stretch and push myself up, yawning as I try to wake myself up.  
“Baz?” I call softly.  
There’s no answer so I get up and pad barefoot down the stairs. The house is silent, a quiet morning fog. I pause at the bottom of the stairs and listen again.  
“Baz?” I say, a little louder.  
I hear distant sounds, someone moving around, and follow the noises to the kitchen. Baz is there, his hair tied up in a messy knot. I pause in the doorway, leaning against the frame to watch him. Baz looks focused as he watches a pan on the stove, his eyebrows furrowed. My stomach growls at the smell of food frying and he turns.  
“Simon,” he says. “Of course you wake up for food.”  
I roll my eyes, unsure of what I can and can’t do around him. Unsure of what I want to do.  
He scrapes eggs and bacon from the pan onto a plate and hands it to me. I stare at it a moment and walk to the counter, sliding onto a stool. Baz joins me on the other side and just watches as I eat. I clear my throat.  
“You know you can eat around me right? I know you’re a vampire.”  
“Right.” A small smile curves on his lips. I slide the plate closer to him and watch as he picks up a piece of bacon and puts it into his mouth.  
“So do you have to drink blood like every day?” I ask, unable to stop myself. He rolls his eyes but the smile still on his face tells me he’s not really annoyed.  
“I’m most comfortable if I feed every day, but I can last about a week if I need to,” he explains.  
“Well you can feed if you want,” I say, “I don’t mind.”  
His smile grows and he looks down. I love making him smile. So much more than antagonizing him.  
“Maybe later,” he replies, “We have things to do.”  
I tilt my head. “What things?”  
“Christmas shopping,” he says. At my obvious look of surprise he huffs a laugh.  
“What do you think i do all day? Sit up in my room plotting?”  
I shrug and blush, turning back to the eggs on my plate. Baz grabs another piece of bacon and pushes himself off the counter.  
“I need to get presents for my siblings, so I figured you could just tag along. Unless you want to stay here all day by yourself.”  
I shudder and stand up. “Let’s go Christmas shopping.”

Baz drives us into town and parks near a small street of shops. The area is crowded with people doing last minute shopping, bustling and loud. I’m content to just pull my jacket tight around me and follow Baz. I’ve never seen this side of him: carefully choosing gifts for his family, focused on his task. While he looks, I browse the shops, just looking around. I find an interesting book to give to Penny and a Dr. Who mug for Agatha. Baz comes to find me, a bag in hand and motions to the door so I follow him out. It’s gotten even more crowded as the day gets later and I start to lose him among the throng of people. Panicked about being left behind I grab for his arm. My hand slides down past his elbow and I end up grabbing his hand instead. As soon as I realize, I let go, but I’ve gotten Baz’s attention so he stops and lets me catch up.  
He looks at me for a moment, an odd glint in his eyes before he seems to make a decision. He holds out his hand to me and I stare at his long, pale fingers before sliding my hand into his, a blush blooming on my face as I try not to smile. Baz grips my hand hard, keeping me with him as we walk down the street. We stop at a bakery and get some pastries and coffee for lunch (though I eat most of it), talking and laughing the whole time. I really like this new side of Baz. He’s witty and sarcastic but his eyes shine and his small smile makes fire blossom in my stomach.  
When we leave the cafe he offers his hand again and I hold it without any hesitation. We get to the car and he unolocks it, sliding into the driver’s side. I open my door and get in, watching him as he moves his bags to the backseat.  
“I want this.” I say, my thoughts escaping my mouth.  
He pauses and looks at me. His face unreadable as he stares into my eyes.  
“I want this, Baz.” I say, gesturing between us.  
He stares a moment longer before closing the gap between us, his lips meeting mine. This kiss is different than the fire and heat of last night. It’s gentle and hesitant and sweet. My hand comes up to his cheek and I kiss him back.  
He pulls away slowly, face flushed slightly, and starts the car. As we pull out of the lot, he holds his hand out to me, glancing at me with a smile. I smile back, threading my fingers through his.  
We hold hands all the way home.


	10. Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pastel!Simon and Angry!Baz  
> not compliant with the ending of Carry On  
> tw: homophobia

**\-- Baz --**  
“Hey faggot!”  
I hear someone yell and automatically pull into myself, looking around. I sigh in relief when I see there’s no one staring at me, but then realize that that means it was directed at someone else.  
I feel a fire burn in my belly and can feel the magic sparking at my fingertips, ready for a fight. My fangs pop and I feel them pressing into my bottom lip. I take a breath and follow the sounds of yelling into a back alley nearby.  
The first thing I see is a boy, cowering against the brick wall. He’s wearing all pastel, his light pink shirt decorated with peace signs and his doc martens yellow with smiley faces. There’s another boy there, tall and mean. Yelling obscene things and shoving at him.  
I rush forward and push him out of the way.  
“Leave him alone.” I growl.  
The bully looks at me in surprise and then opens his stupid mouth.  
“Aw, look at that. The faggot’s boyfriend is here to save the day.”  
I want to punch him.  
“Yeah.” I say. “Leave him alone, and I’ll leave you alone.” my voice is dangerously low, but the asshole starts laughing.  
I don’t even glance at the boy by the wall, completely focused on getting this idiot out of here.  
I shove his shoulders and he braces himself for a fight.  
I laugh, cold and hard as he comes at me. My inhuman strength and speed appreciated for once as I hold him off. He gets me a few times but I finally hit him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. He falls to the ground and I bare my fangs at him, growling low.  
The guy runs away, or tries to anyway and I watch him disappear with a smirk on my face before turning back to the pastel boy.  
He’s curled up near the ground now and I walk forwards slowly before squatting down by his face.  
“It's okay. You're safe. Are you okay?” I ask softly.  
He turns his face up to me and I gasp.  
“Simon?”  
“Oh my god.” He says. “Baz? What the fuck are you doing here?”  
“Saving you, you idiot.”  
I haven’t seen Simon since I left Watford 6th year, and news of him faded out after he lost his magic. Things had gone to shit that last year and I couldn’t handle it anymore, especially after learning the Mage had killed my mother. I hadn’t heard from anyone at Watford in a while, except the occasional email from Dev.  
I drink in the sight of Simon. His hair still falls in curls onto his forehead and his eyes are just as blue. He smiles a bit.  
“Well, thanks for saving me.”  
I reach out and hold his face, gently inspecting it for any damage. He has a small cut beneath his eye, a bruise forming around it.  
“We should get that cleaned up.” I say. “Anywhere else hurt?”  
“I’m fine.” He says, and holds his hand out against my face. “What about you?”  
My cheek is aching where the guy got a punch in.  
“Nah I’m good. That guy was hopeless going up against me.”  
He stares at me for a moment, squinting in the dim light of the alley.  
“Did you know that guy?” I ask softly.  
Simon looks away and sniffs a bit before shaking his head. “No not really.” he explains, “I mean, I’ve seen him around. There’s a couple of guys around here that like to harass me. But, it’s never gotten that bad before.”  
I close my eyes and take a breath. I know what that’s like. I’ve lived it for years. Older cousins at family dinners calling me names, random strangers yelling threats on the street because they didn’t like who I was holding hands with, my dad looking at me with disappointment and asking me why his only son was a fairy.  
I press my finger beneath his chin and his eyes meet mine again. “Simon,” I say, grave, serious, trying desperately not to let my voice catch. “You know you can report stuff like that, right? This isn’t okay.”  
Simon only laughs bitterly. “Baz, when have I ever been okay?”  
I don’t know what to say to that, and so we crouch in the alley in silence until he starts to speak again.  
“So I was right.” He muses. I look at him questioningly. “You really are a vampire.”  
I laugh at that and stand, pulling him to his feet. “That’s what you noticed? Really?”  
He blushes and shrugs as we walk out of the alley and I can’t help thinking how cute he is with his soft pastel aesthetic and his moles. He catches the look on my face and smiles, the gloomy cloud hovering behind his eyes beginning to lift.  
“Would you like to go get dinner with me maybe?” I venture.  
He looks at me and narrows his eyes jokingly. “That depends. What are you plotting?”  
I roll my eyes and nudge his shoulder. “If anything I’m plotting how to get you to go on a date with me. You okay with that?”  
He ducks his head and blushes but when I hold out my hand he threads his fingers through mine.


	11. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz is gay and Simon makes stupid puns.

**\-- Baz --**  
School has always kind of sucked. I have a few close friends like Dev and Niall, but besides that I avoid most people. I’m good in classes, but they’re all boring so I’m not looking forward to the first day of my chemistry class.  
I walk in and sit in the far corner of the class, as isolate as possible, pushing my hair behind my ears as I sit. More kids filter in and I pull out my phone. I have a message from Mordelia, take me shopping today????. I sigh and type out a quick reply. What’s in it for me? My phone buzzes with her response, A day out with your favorite sister. I roll my eyes. Can’t argue with that.  
“Okay, okay. Phones away please, let’s get started.” The teacher walks in and I shove my phone back in my pocket, begging to anything in the universe that we won’t have to play some stupid introduction game.  
“We’ll start with a seating chart.” The teacher says. The entire class groans but the teacher ignores it, calling out names in pairs.  
“Agatha, you’re in the front with Penny.”  
“Rhys, Trixie.”  
She lists of more names and then finally mine.  
“Basilton, you’re over there with Simon.” she gestures to the middle left and I pick up my stuff and walk over.  
The boy who sits down next to me is loud. Not just talking but in general. His clothes are bright, his gestures overdramatic, his eyes shining. He has moles dotted across his tan cheeks and on his eyelid. A mess of curls stick up from his head. He smiles at me as he slides in but I ignore him in favor of writing down the notes the teacher is putting up on the board.  
A couple moments pass before a paper gets slid past my nose. I glance at it.  
It’s a crude drawing of some water molecules with a man in a suit between them. Messy scrawled handwriting above it says the name’s bond, hydrogen bond. The bottom reads, jk it’s Simon :).  
I roll my eyes, trying to keep a smile off my face at this adorable boy and his stupid puns and slide it back but he ignores it in favor of taking notes. Or actually, doodling on his notebook paper.  
About halfway through the class, when I realize I haven’t been paying any attention. He slides the paper back.  
Sorry, I know it was a bad chemistry joke, but all the good ones Argon  
This time I barely manage to keep my laugh in, coughing quietly instead, but Simon notices and his face breaks out into a huge grin. When class ends, he leaves the paper behind. I carefully fold it up and pocket it, telling myself I’ll throw it out later.

The next day Simon continues to make horrible science puns and ridiculous dumb jokes. When we have lab he turns to me as I’m pouring a solution into a beaker.  
“Hey Baz, why are chemists great at solving problems.”  
I don’t acknowledge his question but he continues anyways.  
“Because they have all the solutions!” He laughs at his own joke and I can’t help but smile at that. His laugh is bright and loud, like the rest of him.  
“You’re so stupid.” I mutter.

I don’t throw away that first note. And I keep the other ones he passes me with their jokes scrawled in messy penmanship.

Did you hear Oxygen and Potassium went on a date? It went OK

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate

You know what Mendel said when he founded genetics? Woopea!

Don’t trust atoms, they make up everything.

Did you hear about the man who got cooled to absolute zero? Don’t worry, he’s 0K

I asked someone if they had any Sodium Hypobromite, they said “NaBrO”

Anions aren’t negative, they’re just misunderstood

What did one ion say to the other? “I’ve got my ion you.”

Each joke is usually accompanied with a funny illustration and I brilliant grin from Simon when he sees me try not to smile. I get more and more notes throughout the school year, and more accustomed to Simon’s loudness. Though not any more used to the prickly hot that runs up my arms when his elbow brushes mine or the heat in my chest when he laughs.  
Every day he tells at least one joke.  
About halfway through the school year, I get a different note.

Someday I’m going to make you actually smile

I look at him skeptically and mouth, good luck. He winks.

I start to look forward to chemistry every day. To hear Simon laughing at his own jokes and yelling across the room to classmates. I love the way he looks so proud of himself every time he says a new joke and the way his blue eyes gleam with mischief and humor.  
He always shouts my name excitedly when he sees me in the hallway and that warm feeling spreads all the way through me.  
I try to push it down. Tell myself that it’s just the way Simon is, he doesn’t actually like me. His notes aren’t flirty or because he’s attracted to me. He’s just a regular guy, bored in chemistry class.  
The notes and whispered jokes in class don’t stop, and neither does my crush. On the last day of class I finally get the courage to do it. I take a deep breath and turn to Simon, who’s packing his bag.  
“Hey Simon,” I say, “You know, I think we have some real chemistry together.”  
I smile when his jaw drops and a brilliant grin grows on his face. He drops his bag and moves closer and I’m suddenly not sure if this was the best idea. His nose brushes mine as he whispers, “I’m more attracted to you than fluorine is to an electron.”  
I do laugh then. It’s a low chuckle but Simon jumps on it. “There! There! I made you laugh. I’ve done the impossible!”  
I laugh again and he smiles. “Is it getting hot in here or is that just our bond forming?”  
“Aleister Crowley Simon, shut up.”  
“You love it” he whispers.  
I shake my head, still smiling.  
“You do,” he insists. “You love it as much as an anion loves a cation.”  
I roll my eyes, but his smile grows.  
“You’re puns are getting ridiculous.”  
“Want to go out with me?” He asks.  
I nod and he pushes his hand against my cheek, his other one grabbing one of mine.  
“Good.” He says. “Cause I’m going to stick to you like glue-cose.”


	12. Arachnophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon's terrified of spiders.

**\-- Simon --**

I look around at the boxes stacked in the living room and kitchen of my new apartment. I just got finished with the bedroom and I’ve finished most of the living room, pulling out photos of me and Penny to put on my nightstand and unpacking some sheets for tonight. Penny helped me move the couch up and into place but she had to go meet Micah at the airport a couple of hours ago. I glance at my phone and decide to be done for the night, well morning I guess. It’s three a.m.  
I tiredly shrug off my t-shirt and jeans and head into my new bathroom. I dig around in a few boxes before pulling out shampoo and soap and moving to turn on the shower.  
It’s then that I see it. Big and black, skulking at the bottom of the tub. All eight eyes staring evilly at me. I let out an embarrassingly loud shriek of fear and scramble out of the bathroom. I fucking hate spiders. They have eight legs which is far too many. No one needs so many legs and the way they crawl sends shivers up my spine. I make it out of my apartment and slam the door behind me, breathing heavily. I cannot go back in there until that spider is dead and gone. But I left my phone inside so I can’t call Penny for backup. It’s either spend the night out here or find someone to kill that monster so I can take my shower and get some sleep.  
I glance up at the door across the hall. This isn’t exactly how I planned to meet my new neighbor, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and I need help. I push myself up off my door and walk across the hall, raising my hand to knock.

**\-- Baz --**

I wake up to loud bangs on my door and glance at my phone. Who the fuck is at my door at 3 in the fucking morning. I yawn and sit up, tiredly pulling on some pants. I comb my fingers through my hair and open my door.  
A cute boy who I don’t recognize is standing in front of me. Practically naked. He’s wearing nothing but boxer briefs, which are cupcake print. His curly bronze hair is a mess, sticking up from his head in all directions and his eyes are wide. He has moles freckling his cheeks.  
And shoulders.  
And chest.  
And—  
I pull my eyes back up to his face because Aleister fucking Crowley I don’t even know this guy’s name.  
“Oh thank Merlin!” he says. “I just moved in and I’m sorry to wake you up like this but there is a spider in my bathtub but I need to shower and I’m really fucking terrified of spiders but I can’t call Penny and—” I can’t focus because I’m barely awake and this hot adorable boy is standing in front of me begging me to go back to his apartment and I need to stop thinking about this.  
If this were anyone else I would just slam the door in their face, but I feel bad for the poor boy so I sigh and walk forward, shutting my door behind me. He turns and I follow him across the hall and into his apartment, trying not to stare at his ass.  
His apartment is sparse. I can tell he’s just moved. Boxes are stacked everywhere and the only other thing in the living room is a couch. He heads through his bedroom (also pretty bare except a mattress with sheets on the floor and some pictures of him and a girl with purple cat-eye glasses) and into the bathroom. He turns to face me and points at the tub where I see I tiny spider.  
I try not to laugh but can’t keep the small smirk off my face as I see what he is so terrified of.  
“Hey,” he says, trying to act more upset than he actually is. “Don’t judge me. They’re creepy as fuck.”  
I shrug, still smiling. “Do you have tissues?”  
“I think so.” He says and turns, digging through a box before triumphantly pulling some out.  
I grab one and squish the spider neatly, balling up the tissue and handing it to him. He takes it carefully, holding it by two fingers as if the spider will suddenly come back to life and crawl out.  
He takes it to the kitchen and tosses it in the trash. I follow behind him and stop in his living room, leaning against the back of his couch.  
“Right, thanks…”  
“Baz,” I supply.  
“Thanks, Baz.”  
“and you are?”  
“oh, Simon! I’m Simon.” He smiles at me and Crowley his smile lights up his entire face.  
I stare until I realize I’ve been staring and shake myself out of it.  
“I should…” I gesture towards the door.  
“Yeah. Right. Of course.” He says, following me to the door.  
“Thanks again.” He says as I leave.  
I turn and smile at him. “Anytime. See you around, Simon.”  
“Night Baz.”  
I head back into my apartment and toss and turn trying to get a freckled chest and sunny smile out of my head, finally falling asleep.

**\-- Simon --**

After the hot boy next door leaves I shower and try to get some sleep. I’m up again at six a.m. and can’t get his deep red gold skin and dark flowy hair out of my head. I get up off my bed and walk across the hall, not sure what I’m even going to say.  
He opens the door almost immediately, this time wearing a shirt and jeans (and Merlin do they look good on him). He smirks at me and leans against the door frame.  
“Simon.” He says, his steel eyes burning into me. “Long time no see.”  
“I figured I should thank you for coming to my rescue last night. I mean, it was at an ungodly hour and you still decided to help a stranger in only his underwear kill a spider.” I say. I take a breath.  
“What I mean to say, is: want to go get coffee with me?”  
He smiles at that and pushes himself off the door frame, hands tucked into his pockets.  
“Give me ten minutes.”


	13. Hate to Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> comforting Baz, depressed Simon

**\-- Baz --**

“Great,” I mutter as I walk into our room and see Simon on his bed, “You couldn’t have been out saving the world or getting killed or something?”  
Simon barely even glances at me. But he whispers something that sounds strangely like “I wish” before rolling over on his bed, away from me. I pause. Simon is always up for a fight. Something’s got to be wrong. I’m tempted to ignore him and just go to my desk, enjoy some quiet and try to get homework done. I should be doing that. That’s what everyone would expect me to do. I walk towards my desk and sit down.  
After ten minutes I can’t stand the silence. It’s growing bigger and bigger in the small room, a buzzing annoyance. Simon’s never this quiet. No matter what he’s doing, he does it loudly. Eating, sleeping, talking. Everything. But now he’s barely making any noise. Even his breathing seems quieter than usual.  
I finally spin around, frustrated and fed up and stand up, “What in Crowley’s name is wrong with you?” I say. Simon looks up at me, his expression gloomy and his eyes dull.  
“What do you care?” he asks with venom. Venom I know isn’t just aimed at me today. Simon’s mad at the whole world and I can’t help myself, I want to know why. I cautiously walk closer to him, making sure he’s not going to suddenly pull out his sword and attack me. I wouldn’t put it past him, even with the Roommate’s Anathema. If anyone could find a way around that it would be Simon, probably by sheer luck though. I sit at the edge of his bed and he glances at me, curiosity breaking through the fog of sheer misery in his eyes.  
“No really,” I say, quieter, gentler, “what’s wrong?”  
He pushes himself up, looking suspiciously at me and I realize how close we are. I can feel the heat from his skin and his arm brushes mine as he shifts over to sit next to me, his socked feet hanging off the bed next to mine. My breath quickens.  
“I just-” he fiddles with the blanket between his fingers, “ I’m lonely I guess. I mean, no one wants to be friends with me. Sure I have Penny and Agatha, but Penny has Micah and she’s always busy with him and Agatha broke up with me, which you’ve probably heard by now. And I know I’m shitty at magic and probably a danger to be around most of the time. Maybe I shouldn’t be here, I shouldn’t be anywhere. I’m not safe for anyone and I’m alone and there’s nothing I can do about it. Hell, even my roommate hates me and I have no idea why.” His sad eyes lock with mine. “why do you hate me? Really, i want to know, am I that awful to be around?”  
I open my mouth. Then close it again. I swallow. “Do you really want to know? Do you really want to know why I hate you so much?”  
He nods and I shuffle closer, turning so I’m facing him, while he’s still gazing towards the window. “Well,” I whisper, “the first thing I hate about you is your eyes. They’re so blue, you see. There’s no possible way to describe them besides blue. Writing poetry about them is impossible.”  
He turns to me in confusion but before he can interrupt I force myself to continue.  
“And then there’s your hair. It’s always a mess, and it drives me insane because I just want to run my fingers through it. And that you smell like cinnamon and smoke. And your moles, Crowley I could spend days telling you how much I hate your moles. Simon, you’re covered in constellations and I want to trace them all. It drives me crazy.”  
“Baz-” he starts, “If- if you’re joking this isn’t funny.”  
I move my hand to his cheek and suppress a smile when he starts to lean into it.  
“ And I hate your stubbornness.” I move my face closer to his, “and the way you fight for what you believe in, and how you talk with your hands more than your mouth, and the way you smile and how you can’t seem to do anything quietly. And Simon,” our noses brush and I press my forehead against his. “I hate that I’m not joking. I hate that-” I swallow and stare at his eyes. His blue eyes which are now shining bright like they should be.  
“I hate that I love you Simon, so so much.”  
His lips press against mine, gentle and unsure, and careful in a way I didn’t know Simon could be. And Crowley if it doesn’t make me love him more. He pulls away slowly, eyelashes fluttering. But he keeps his hand curled around my neck and I finally, finally allow myself to smile. He smiles back, maybe a little unsure, but he smiles. Crowley it’s beautiful. It’s like the sun coming out from behind clouds.  
“I don’t hate you Simon,” I say, “I love you.”


	14. Gonna Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz are coping after everything that happened.

**\-- Baz --**

It’s been almost a year since Simon defeated the humdrum. Since the mage died and he lost his magic. He’s different now, quieter and more reserved. But I get it. Some days it’s just too hard for him so he stays home and Penny or I will keep an eye on him. Other times he’ll get in crazy moods and want to take swing dance lessons (he’s bad at it, his tail always trips him) or get a pet (he wanted all of them, I had to call Penny for backup). He’ll space out and forget things like his birthday or my favorite colour and then freak out about it, and I’ll comfort him and remind him that I’m always here and I know all of those things for him so he doesn’t have to worry. Other days he’s just normal Simon, chattery and hungry. No matter what, he’s still Simon, and I love him.  
Today, he comes out into the kitchen where I’m brewing a pot of coffee and smiles at me. I grin back and pull him in for a kiss, ruffling his bedhead.  
“Sleep well?” he nods and sits at the counter. I count the moles on his chest (17) and his neck (8). They calm me, remind me that this is the same Simon, my Simon. I categorize his smile and peaceful eyes and think that today will be okay.  
I pour us each coffee, adding heaping spoons of sugar and cream to Simon’s much to my disgust. He hums contentedly when I pass him his mug.  
“I need to go down to the market today, want to tag along?”  
He glances at the clock. “What day is it again?”  
“Friday, Simon.”  
“Oh! I don’t have classes today. Yeah, I’ll come.”  
“Good, maybe we can stop at that bakery you like, pick up scones for lunch.”  
He smiles before mumbling “still not as good as Watford’s.”  
“I promise I’ll get you that recipe from Cook Pritchard at the next family gathering, love.”  
“I love you.” His voice is quiet, but happy.  
I walk around the counter and kiss his forehead gently. “Love you too.”

Simon holds my hand as we walk around the market, his messenger bag clutched tightly at his side. His knuckles are white, but I squeeze his hand comfortingly and he leans into me. After about a half an hour I see his shoulders start to relax. He lets go of my hand and wanders a bit, still staying close by. I keep an eye on him.  
He shows me things he finds. A calming colouring book that he thinks is cool, some lotion he thinks smells like me, a bag of cookies that “we have to get Baz. We just have to.”  
I look back down at my list. I’m almost done.  
“Baz,” Simon calls. I look up. “I’ll be right back, I’m just going to run to the bathroom, can you hold my bag?” He pulls the strap over his head and I take it as he heads off.  
I’m so absorbed looking for ingredients Penny’s asked me to pick up for dinner, that I don’t realize how long Simon’s been gone until I glance at my phone.  
I haven’t seen him in at least half an hour. I feel the panic rush up inside me and try to keep calm, heading first for the bathroom. He’s not in there so I check nearby aisles, even going up to strangers and asking if they’d seen him.  
“Simon?” I call. I walk almost all of the aisles and am about to go to the front and ask them to call for him on the overhead system when I spot his curly hair and red sweatshirt. Of course he’s in the frozen aisle staring at ice cream.  
I rush up to him and he turns, smiling at me. “Oh thank Crowley!” I say, taking his head in my hands and pulling him to me. “I thought I’d lost you Simon!”  
I feel Simon wrap his arms around me in return. “I’m fine, Baz. Really. Just got a little lost that’s all. But I found the ice cream!”  
I pull away and stare into his eyes. “If this ever, ever happens again, I swear to Aleister, Simon, I will chain you to me so I will never lose you.”  
Simon’s eyes go wide but he nods and hugs me again.  
I push my face into his hair and feel his calm seep into me. A lot has happened to us that we didn’t deserve, especially Simon. Things that make us do stupid things like freak out in grocery stores. But we understand each other and lookout for each other and I love him. And I know, right now, with my arms wrapped around him in a market on a Friday, that everything is okay.


	15. Falling For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz after they've agreed on a truce. (non-canon compliant)

**\-- Simon --**

I’ve taken to following Baz around at night again. Even though we’re on a truce, it’s hard to break out of a habit. I can’t sleep at night anyways. Tonight, he walks down to the wavering wood. I follow a few feet behind him, careful to be as quiet as possible. I should cast a **now you see me** or **blind as a bat** to disguise myself but I can’t risk it. My magic is too obvious and big for small spells like that.  
Instead I tiptoe behind him. I watch as he stops a short distance away, head cocked to the side. I can’t tell what he’s looking at.  
“You know you could just walk beside me Simon.”  
His voice startles me and I jump. He turns, his eyebrows raised.  
“Well- what if you like, murder me or something?”  
“Wouldn’t I be more likely to do that when you’re stalking me instead of just walking with me?”  
I shrug - his argument makes sense - so I join him where he’s standing. Once I’m caught up he continues into the wood. Branches crack beneath our feet and I can hear owls and crickets. The air is warm, but a slight breeze runs through.  
“What exactly is it that we’re doing?” I finally ask.  
“Looking.” He responds. “There’s supposed to be a red moon tonight.”  
“Won’t that like, affect you or something?” I say.  
Baz rolls his eyes. “That’s a werewolf not a vampire you daft idiot and I’m not either.”  
“Okay,” I mutter, raising my eyebrows. “If you insist.”  
Baz looks like he’s starting to regret inviting me along. We continue walking for awhile, Baz’s longer legs and vampiric eyesight helping him while I plod along blindly.  
“Can’t you be any quieter?” he snaps.  
“I’m trying, Merlin! It’s dark as hell out here.”  
As I say that I trip over something and reach out, trying to steady myself. Instead of stopping my fall, I pull Baz down with me.  
I hit the cool ground on my back, my head thumping softly. Baz lands on top of me with an ‘oof’ of surprise, my fingers still curled in his collar where I’d grabbed. I freeze as I feel him tense, realizing the position we’re in.  
I suddenly notice how close his face is. How I could touch his hair if I wanted. See if it actually is as soft as I thought. Or trace his cheekbones, see if I’d cut my fingers on their edges. My eyes move to his lips. He’s panting softly, his breath warm against my cheek. I can’t stop myself, can’t help myself, as I tug at his collar and pull him down further, my lips meeting his.  
Surprisingly he doesn’t pull away.  
I’m kissing Baz.  
I’m really fucking kissing Baz.  
And Baz is kissing me back. His hand is trapped between us, flat on my chest, and his other reaches around to hold my neck. I comb my fingers through his hair (it really is soft) and he moans softly. I slowly lower my head to the ground, but Baz continues, moving his lips to my neck.  
“Oh,” I say softly. Baz pauses what he’s doing and pulls back, his face obviously ready to shut down all emotion. I point up at the sky.  
“I think I found your red moon.” It glows overhead, as if it’s in flames.  
Baz stares up at it for a moment before looking back down at me.  
“I think I’ve got all I want right here,” he says.  
I pull him in for another kiss.


	16. A Real Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz meet at a fast food restaurant

**\-- Baz --**

I’m having a horrible day. First my dad texted, which is already a bad start, asking me if I could come home for Christmas but reminding me that I need to respect their moral values, aka act a little less gay. Then I locked my keys out of my car and had to wait an hour in the rain for the police to come pick my lock. I finally get in and decide, fuck it, I’m going to get ice cream. I drive up to a McDonald’s I see and pull in, making sure my keys are in hand before I lock my care. I peel of my hoodie, which is soaked and glance at my rain-plastered hair. I give up.  
I trudge into the store and holy hell the cutest boy is behind the register. His hair sticks out of the stupid visor he wears in messy curls. His eyes are bright blue against gold skin and moles dot his cheeks. His name tag says his name is Simon.  
“Hi!” he says, “what can I get you?”  
I order a reeses mcflurry and when I get it spend the rest of my time trying to stare at Simon without being obvious. As I watch him I decide that maybe fast food isn’t so bad after all.

I’m pitiful, I know. But I can’t stop myself from going back there, just to see if Simon is working. He smiles at me when I walk through the door.  
“You again! Hello.”  
I smile back. “Could I just get a water?”  
“Of course,” he hands me the cup and I thank him.  
I finish my water as slowly as I can before leaving. 

I figure out that Simon works Tuesdays and Saturdays so I make sure to stop in and get a water on those days. He smiles when I walk in (though that’s part of his job) and makes jokes and conversation while I order. He also starts calling me Baz. When he catches me staring he just winks and grins. 

This week, I walk in and Simon isn’t there. Confused, I glance at my phone. Definitely Saturday. I almost turn and leave before I hear his voice.  
“Hey! Cute guy! Baz!” I turn on my heel and see Simon waving from a booth at the back. Hesitantly, I walk over, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.  
“I’m on a break,” he explains, picking up a fry, “but I figured you’d stop in so here’s your water.”  
I take it from his hand. “Thanks.”  
“I also figured you might actually, you know, want to talk since you only get a water everytime you’re here. I mean, it’s not like you’re here for the food.”  
I smile and sit down, taking a sip of my water.  
“Oh! I also have something for you. He rummages through a bag and pulls out a salad.  
“Don’t worry, it’s from the store across the street. I know most of this food is shit, I don’t blame you for not eating it.” he smiles as I take it. “Now it’s like a real date.”  
I blush at his words.  
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” I say, “why do you work here and not , like, anywhere else? I’m sure you could find a better job.”  
Simon laughs and reaches across the table, his hand resting on mine. “Funny you should ask that,” he says, “you see, the first day you came in was the day I was going to quit.”


	17. It's a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz have to share a booth at a cafe

**\-- Simon --**

Ebb’s cafe is unusually crowded this morning when I walk through the door. I walk up to the counter and Agatha, the barista, greets me with a sweet smile and a flip of her long blonde hair.  
“Crowded today, yeah?” I say.  
“Yeah,” Agatha agrees. “Ebb’s going to go insane when she sees the revenue after today. Apparently there’s some concert going on downtown tonight.”  
She hands me my coffee and a warm cherry scone and I move to find a seat. My usual seat by the window is taken, as is almost every other table in the cafe. I finally spot a far corner booth that appears empty and head over, relieved.  
As I approach I realize there’s someone already sitting there. Dark hair to his shoulders and sharp eyes. But I’m already too close to leave so I pull up some courage.  
“C-could I maybe sit here? With you?” I ask.  
He stares a moment longer and I can’t stand the silence.  
“It’s just, there’s no tables open and I just want to eat my scone.”  
He finally nods, his face unreadable. I slide in across from him and pick at my scone. He keeps watching me and I occasionally glance at him.  
He’s attractive, I have to admit. Cheekbones carved of marble on his contrasting warm-brown skin. Long fingers are wrapped around his coffee cup, but he seems to have forgotten about it in favor of staring at me.  
“I’m Simon.” I blurt out.  
His face cracks, breaking into a warm smile I wasn’t expecting and he looks even more handsome with it on his face.  
“Baz.” He returns.  
“D’you want some of my scone?” I offer.  
“Sure.” I break it in half, handing one piece to him and watch as he nibbles it carefully.  
“They’re sour cherry scones. My favorite. Ebb makes the best.”  
“Oh so you know the owner?”  
“Yeah, we go way back.” I explain. “She’s a family friend and I worked here for a while.”  
“What are you doing now?”  
We break into easy conversation. I learn the Baz is from Watford, which is funny because my mum grew up there. He has a little sister and some step-sibling and he loves them dearly. His smile is the best thing, because his eyes shine when he means it. He laughs at my stupid jokes and is sarcastic and brilliant. He drinks coffee two sugars, like me.  
Before long, an hour has passed and then two. Finally there’s not much we can say in order to justify staying and talking any longer.  
I sigh and hold out my hand. “Well, Baz, it was nice to meet you.” I say.  
He stares at my hand and then flicks his eyes to mine. I falter under the steel behind them.  
“Do you come here everyday?” he asks, in favor of taking my hand.  
“Um, yeah,” I say, blushing as I lay my rejected hand on the table.  
“So, I’ll see you tomorrow? Same table, same time?”  
My embarrassment is forgotten at that and I tilt my head, “Do you have a girlfriend?” I ask, surprising even myself with my brazenness.  
He laughs, “No. Do you?”  
I smile and shake my head, not sure where to go from there.  
“So tomorrow?” He asks again.  
I meet his eyes. “It’s a date.”


	18. Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bus AU

**\-- Baz --**  


I don’t believe in fate, a bad day is just a bad day. It’s all just math: odds and chance. Today is just a bad day.When I walk out out to my car in the morning and try to turn it on, the engine sputters and dies. I try again. Nothing. 

“Aleister fucking Crowley,” I mutter. I get out and slam the door, stomping off down the street. I walk to the nearest bus stop (luckily just down the street) and glance at the bus schedule and then to my phone. I type out a quick text to Dev letting him know I’ll be a bit late for our study group and sit down on the cold metal bench to wait, pulling my jacket around me against the morning chill.

The bus pulls up a few  minutes later so I stuff my phone in my pocket and get on. It’s crowded, nearly full, so I slip into an aisle seat beside a lady leaned against the window, sleeping. 

The bus is noisy, stuffy and warm. I want to shrug out of my skin, or bite and growl like a cornered beast. So many strangers make me uneasy. 

The bus stops a few times, even more people piling on. There aren’t even seats left at this point so people are standing in the aisle, gripping the poles tightly as the bus sways. Another stop; more people. 

I try not to curl into myself too much and silently curse my car for not starting this morning. I should have just cancelled on Dev and Niall and stayed home, in the peaceful silence. I close my eyes and breath in slowly, trying to push down my want to murder everyone on this bus, specifically the screaming baby who hasn’t shut up. I smell a woman’s perfume and the bus fumes and the dirty metallic floors. Voices rush around me.

I open my eyes, calmed, and focus only on my breathing, pushing everything else out of my head. It distracts me for a bit and I turn to stare out the window.

The bus stops again and a few more people pile on. One boy moves and stands next to me. I glare at him for invading my space but I can’t really blame him. There’s nowhere else to stand. He smiles at me and I see his gorgeous face, tanned with blue eyes and curly hair that looks soft. He waves hello to people and makes light conversation. His voice is warm and his smile cinnamon-sweet. Moles scatter across his neck above his red hoody. I have to admit how attracted I am to him. I consciously force myself not to stare. 

The bus starts to pull away and I turn my head back to the window. But a sudden weight on my legs and a surprised noise startles me. There’s someone in my lap. Not just someone, the cute boy with the red hoody. I’ve automatically put my arms around his waist, to keep him from falling to the floor. 

He looks at me and blushes, and I’m taken away by his eyes. They’re expressive and alive, the blue of them dancing to a song that only he seems to know. I immediately want to know all of his secrets. 

“Merlin, I’m sorry. I’m such a kluts,” he says.

I smirk at him. “I know I’m attractive, but I don’t need a lap dance to notice you.”

He blushes a deeper shade of red and scrambles to get up, his hand pressing into my thigh. I smile as I watch him, not really looking for a response, content just to stare. 

He doesn’t meet my eyes again until he gets off, but his cheeks stay a bright red the rest of the ride. 

As he moves to leave, he leans down and his lips brush against my ear, making my shiver.

“Sweetheart, I can give a much better lapdance than that.” His eyes twinkle as he straightens up and walks off. I catch a glimpse of his face and he looks ridiculously proud of himself. It’s adorable. I can’t help but stare at him as the bus pulls away. He catches my eye as it jerks into movement and winks. I look away quickly, blood rising to my cheeks. 

_ Crowley I’m never going to drive my car again. _

 

\---

I don’t believe in fate. Maybe I just have really good chances. It’s all just math, and I happen to like the odds I’ve been given.

I get Dev to come over and jumpstart my car to charge up the battery the next day. I’m busy with class work the rest of the week, but I plan to meet with my study group again on the weekend. Except this time I drive. 

As I drive past the bus stop I think about the boy I saw that day on the bus. I smile, remembering his sunshiney expression and flirtatious wink before shaking him out of my head. It’s not like I’ll ever see him again. Still, I can’t get his curls and tanned shoulders out of my thoughts. 

Then I catch a glimpse of a red sweatshirt. Golden curls peeking out of the hood. I slam on my breaks and pull up to the sidewalk. A car honks at me but I ignore it in favor of rolling down my passenger window.

The boy looks up at the noise and stares at me in surprise before heading over, his hands in his pockets. He peers into my car with a golden smile.

“Still waiting for that lap dance?”

I smirk. “I think maybe I should take you on a date first. Need a ride?”

I can see him think for a moment before pulling open the car door and sliding in.

“I’m Simon.” he says.

“Baz.” I respond, “So where am I taking you?”

I turn to look at him as he ducks his head and blushes.

“Um, wherever you’re going is fine.”

I tilt my head in question and he starts to explain, his hands fidgeting. I almost forgot how adorable he is.

“I actually don’t- well I normally don’t ride the bus today. I was just hoping to see you again. Fate’s looking out for me I guess.”

I try to suppress the manic grin threatening to take over my face.

“Well I was going to go to a study group, but in that case...coffee?”

He smiles at me, “Coffee sounds great.”

And maybe I don’t believe in fate, but with Simon here, about to get coffee with me, I can’t help but think maybe it’s a little more than just odds on my side.  


	19. Let's Make it Permanent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz and Simon fall asleep together

**\-- Simon --**

 

I’m exhausted. I haven’t slept more than 3 hours a night in weeks. I’ve been staying awake, watching Baz, trying to figure out what he’s planning. I’m sure Baz is up to something and I’m going to stop him. Penny doesn’t believe me of course (she hasn’t since fifth year) but he’s been staring more than usually lately and I’m certain he’s plotting my death. Penny thought this was ridiculous when I brought it up to her.

“Penny,” I had whined, “He won’t stop staring with his evil grey eyes and sometimes- sometimes he even smiles! I swear he’s thinking of all the ways he could kill me.”

Penny had just rolled her eyes and told me to drop it and focus on my homework. 

School is a whole other issue. I just can’t get myself to focus on elocution and how slang affects spells when I know none of it is going to help me. I’m hopeless at magic. The only thing I can do is explode with it. I’m a weapon of mass destruction and I don’t fancy going off in the middle of class cause I tried to cast something as simple as  **dime a dozen** . So instead I stare out of the window, gazing out at the Wavering Wood, listening to the sounds of my classmates casting spells in the classroom behind me. Most of the time, none of the teachers will call me out. They’re all scared I’ll go off too. They’d much prefer leaving the precious chosen one daydreaming out the window than risk having to clean up after me when I fuck up. Assuming I leave anything behind once I go off. So far I’ve managed to protect everyone when it does happen, but the risk is far too great. I most likely would have been expelled from Watford on the grounds that i’m a danger to the whole fucking world if I wasn’t the Chosen One.

The bell ringing distracts me from my thoughts and I push myself out of my desk, smiling at Penny when I meet her outside the door of the classroom. 

My thoughts drift as we walk across the great lawn. 

“Simon. Simon are you even listening?”

I glance over at Penny and realize she’s been talking to me the whole time.

“What? Sorry Pen. I’m exhausted.”

“Oh, Si.” she puts her hand up against my cheek and I lean into it. “How much sleep are you getting? You can’t stay up all night keeping an eye on him. He may be a nocturnal vampire, but you aren’t.”

“I know. I know,” I sigh. 

“Look, just try and get some sleep tonight,” she says, “promise?”

“I promise.”

“Good.” She smiles at me. “Now I need to get to class. I’ll see you at supper, yeah?”

“Yeah.” I smile back and she turns, setting off back across the lawn.

I yawn. I still have two more classes today, but I could probably fit a quick nap in before my next one. I head closer to the Wavering Woods and flop down into the grass, my back against a tree.  _ Just a quick nap _ , I think as I start to fade off.

 

**\-- Baz --**

 

I hurry out towards the Wavering Wood as soon as I get out of class. I haven’t had any blood for days because that idiot Snow has decided to start keeping odd hours, probably convinced I’m up to something again. Whatever his issue with me is this time, I haven’t been able to sneak out after hours without the danger of him following me like he did fifth year. I couldn’t risk it. But I’m starving and I  _ need _ to drink something, at least a small badger, before my next class. My fangs have been popping every time a breeze blows my way, I feel like I’m thirteen again and just getting used to having fangs at all. 

I’m so distracted that I don’t notice the sleeping boy beneath the trees until I trip over him. I crash down in a tangle of limbs and flailing. 

“Fuck! Fuck! Are you alright? I’m so sorry! Fuck-”

I turn to see who I stumbled over and see curls and bright blue eyes, wide after being woken up so suddenly.

“Oh. It’s just you.” I sneer. “Hello Snow.”

He blinks stupidly at me for a moment, eyes as wide as saucers. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh you know. Just going for a nice stroll between classes until I was tripped by some idiot sleeping under a tree.”

He looks affronted at that. And he bloody well should be. It’s his fault I’m in this mess in the first place. 

“Were you spying on me?” Snow narrows his eyes.

I scoff. “Snow, if I was spying on you, you wouldn’t know it. Now seeing as I’m practically in your lap, I think we can both come to the conclusion that is not what I was doing.”

And then I realize,  _ I’m practically in his lap.  _ Our legs are all tangled up together and I’m basically lying across him, my elbows in the dirt, scuffing up my button-up. I think he realizes this as well as I feel him start to shift his legs underneath me. 

“Um…” he starts, blushing like mad. “Could you maybe, you know…” he trails off, gesturing at me.

“Right,” I say. My cheeks would be turning red if I had enough blood in me. 

There’s a moment of almost silence as we try and untangle ourselves. Just Simon’s loud breathing. 

I manage to get my arm up and around Simon to try and push myself up before I stop.

The world sways and spins around me.

“Are- are  _ you _ alright?” Simon asks.

“Yeah,” I say, trying to push a sneer back on my face. “Yeah, I just. Y’know I think I may have hit my head”

Everything suddenly comes to a sharp focus as Simon puts his hands in my face, pulling me down closer to him. I realize I’m now completely on top of him, my hands on either side of his head. Aleister Crowley, as if this day could get any worse. 

“Baz, Baz. Look at me.” Simon sighs. “Look, I may hate you, but I need to make sure you don’t have a concussion or something.”

I glance back down at him and his blue blue eyes stare into mine. I’m pretty sure I’m blushing now. What little blood left in me all rushing to my face at my closeness to Simon. After moments that seem like years staring into the depths of his eyes, he relaxes a bit.

“Okay,” he says, yawning a bit, “You’re probably fine but maybe you should just, stay here a bit.”

I nod my assent, too dizzy and distracted by Simon to argue. 

He slowly guides me down to my elbows, and then to the ground, so that my right side is on the ground, but I’m still leaning against him. My head rests against his shoulder. I can feel his heartbeat, fast and steady through my palm that rests on his chest. I glance up and see him watching me, an odd look on his face.

“I still hate you, you know.” I nod and look away, pushing all of my panicked thoughts ( _ what the fuck am I doing? _ ) to the back of my head. I’m too dizzy to care what Simon feels for me at this moment, so long as I can stay curled up next to his warm body and feel his magic spark against his skin.

I slowly let my eyes fall shut, drifting off to the sound of Snow’s even breathing. 

 

I wake up slowly, blinking at the twilight that has set in. The sun has gone down and I can’t remember what I’m doing outside. Then I glance over and see Simon.  _ Simon _ , asleep beside me. I stare for hours, or maybe minutes, or maybe eternity. Tracing his moles from his eyelid to his cheek. Watching his chest rise and fall gently. How can he be so alive all the time? It fills me with envy. That he’s alive with such ease. 

My stirring must have woken him, because his eyes open softly, piercing blue right into mine. 

“Baz?” he whispers softly. Confused and still wrapped in sleep.

“What’re you doing here?” he mumbles. 

“Shhhh, Simon” I say, because I can’t help myself. “You’re fine. Go back to sleep. You need it.”

“Mmm” he agrees, closing his eyes.

I start to shift, carefully trying to pull myself from his grip. I  _ really _ need to feed, as much as I want to stay here with Simon forever. 

“Where are you going?” he says softly. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

I stand and watch him curl in on himself in my absence, and then walk towards the woods. 

 

**\-- Simon --**

 

I wake in my bed. Confused and alone. I glance around our room but don’t see Baz. I remember falling asleep. His soft hair brushing up against my cheek in the grass. He seemed so innocent and soft when he was injured. Dizzy from hitting his head when he tripped over me. His eyes soft and scattered. Like a baby bunny I needed to take care of. Bunnicula maybe. The bed next to me is empty, but I don’t remember how I got up here. Sleep starts to seep over me again and I let it, closing my eyes. 

Some time later I wake to the door creaking open. 

“Baz?” I ask.

He looks up from the door, his hair falling in his eyes which glint a steel grey in the darkness.

“Yeah?” he asks. I can hear the hesitancy in his voice.

I decide to start with the easy questions.

“What time is it?”

“Um, probably a little after midnight,” he guesses.

“Where were you?”

He huffs a laugh and starts moving towards his bed. For once, I decide to leave it alone.

“Wait,” I say as he begins to climb into his bed. He pauses and turns to look at me. I swallow, suddenly unsure of what I was thinking.

“Um, do you wanna, maybe,” I take a deep breath, “sleep here, with me, tonight?”

I don’t expect the genuine smile that lights his face as he moves towards me cautiously.

“You sure?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say, smiling back. “That was the best sleep I’ve had in months.”

“Maybe if you weren’t up all night watching me…” he starts, wrapping his arms around me.

“Well we’ll just have to make this a more permanent thing, so I can always know where you are.” 

He laughs quietly, “I don’t think I’d mind that.”


	20. Terms and Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dancer AU

The Watford Dance Studio is high class and Simon, who only got in on a scholarship he won in a talent show, finds most of the people there snobby and awful. He loves it though. He loves the rush he gets when he performs a sequence right. The way he can interpret music into motion. He can empty out his mind and focus only on movement. 

He’s stretching in the hall outside his room when Baz walks up. Baz dances ballet, and thinks he’s better than everyone else. He’s wearing a black leotard and Simon can’t help but appreciate his well-toned thighs and visible abs through the thin material. Baz crouches down next to Simon. 

“Still determined on doing that ridiculous thing they call a dance?”

Since the very first day Simon and Baz had clashed. Constantly teasing each other and fighting. But you couldn’t say it was unfriendly. There was a warm tone hidden underneath all that. 

Simon scoffs, “Please Baz, as if ballet is any better. You dance to songs written by random old men.”

Baz tilts his head, a piece of his hair falling from his perfect bun. Simon stares.

“How about we make a deal,” he suggests. “I stand in on one hip hop lesson with you, you do the same except it’ll be a ballet lesson with me. We can both decide which is better.”

Simon smiles; this will be fun. “Agreed.”

Baz comes with Simon first, because he doesn’t actually have ballet today, he’s just here for extra practice because he’s a prick who wants to be better than everyone else. At least that’s what Simon thinks. Though he also thinks Baz wouldn’t need any practice, he’s already better than everyone else. 

Simon smiles at Penny as he walks into the room, another dancer here on a scholarship and his closest friend. She raises her eyebrows when she sees Baz following him but Simon shrugs her off. She knows who he is because Simon practically never shuts up about him, always complaining about what an asshole he is and how pretty his eyes are. 

“He’s here to admit hip hop is the better dance.”

“Pfft, please” Baz crosses his arms. “I’m here to confirm that hip hop is horrible. Ballet is a beautiful, expression-filled dance.”

Simon shrugs and rolls his eyes, choosing to ignore Baz as the music starts. Baz just leans against a wall and watches Simon become focused in the music. His eyes light up and he moves with perfect timing, fluid and raw. Simon dances like it’s all he has, and it’s beautiful. He pours out emotion in ways you couldn’t with any other form and Baz has to admit, it’s eye-catching.

When Simon’s finished and approaches Baz, he just shrugs, trying to keep a straight face. Simon smiles, “See you tomorrow for ballet.”

The next day Simon sits in on Baz’s class. He watches Baz stretch and bend in ways that don’t seem possible. His muscles flex and his movement is elegant and soft in time with the music. Also, Baz’s ass looks great when he does the splits. Simon tries not to focus on it too much, but Baz does the splits  _ a lot _ . Maybe he noticed Simon’s look the first time. He’d practically dropped his jaw to the floor. 

The dance they’re working on is beautiful. Power and emotion weaved through the classical music. 

When he’s done, Baz walks up to Simon, a towel slung around his shoulder, his water bottle hanging from his fingers. “Well?” he asks.

“How about, maybe they’re both good” Simon suggests.

Baz tilts his head, as if thinking a moment.

“I’ll accept that on one condition.”

“What?”

“We do a duet.”

“ _ What?”  _

“Both are good, wouldn’t they be better together?” Baz smiles at Simon’s glare, knowing he’s right. 

“Are you suggesting you teach me ballet and I teach you hip hop?”

“Are you offering?”

Simon thinks a moment before realizing that it means more time with Baz.

“Yes.” he says, “but on one condition.”

Baz smiles, “and what’s that?”

“You go on a date with me first.”


	21. Cutest Delivery Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> literally the title

**\-- Baz --**

 

“Hey, Baz!” Dev calls as I abandon our video game to grab a snack. “We should order pizza.”

“You paying?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. He digs in his pockets and pulls out a wad of cash, tossing at me. I catch it deftly and head to the kitchen. Leaving Dev and Niall in my room. 

I dial in the nearest pizza place and wait as it rings.

After three rings, someone picks up.

“Ebb Petty’s Pizza Place, what can I do for you today?”

“Hi!” I say, “Can I get two pepperoni pizzas?”

I give him my address and he gives me the total.

“Okay, anything else I can do for you?”

I pause and smile, why not have a bit of fun, “Yeah, actually. Send your cutest delivery boy.”

I hang up smiling and head to the living room where Niall is staring at me.

“Really?” he asks.

I shrug. “I deserve a bit of fun after exam week.”

We had just gotten into Christmas break, and my cousin, Dev, always stays over. Niall had decided to join seeing as leaving the town of Watford would mean he would have to be separated from his girlfriend.

He rolls his eyes and mutters something most likely derogatory and rude but coming from Niall I know it’s basically a compliment.

Dev turns his head, “You couldn’t have even asked for the cutest  _ girl?” _

“Dev,” I say, “You have a girlfriend.”

He sighs  and turns back to the screen, starting a new game.

“Pizza should be here in like twenty minutes,” I say, flopping back into the beanbag and grabbing a controller.

I came out to Dev and Niall about a year ago. They were both cool about it, which is good seeing as they’re my closest friends. Dev actually hugged me and Niall cheered about having ‘less competition’. I had just rolled my eyes. They had also started trying to set me up, which was as sweet as it was annoying because I can find a good guy myself. They of course, then pointed out that I had at one point dated Agatha Wellbelove so I gave up fighting them.

 

The doorbell rings and I pause the game, jumping up off my beanbag and heading towards it. I hear Dev and Niall get up too, probably with a bit of hope that there may be a cute girl on the other side. I see them peering out from the hall where they can see the door but can’t be seen. The doorbell rings again and I open my door, pulling out my wallet to count bills. I glance at the boy standing in front of me.

They definitely fulfilled my wish. He has golden blonde curls and tanned skin. His eyes are blue and bright and moles dot his cheek. He has dimples in his smile and is a little shorter than I am. His nametag says his name is Simon.

He holds out the receipt to read it, “I have two pepporonis for Baz?” he says. He falters a bit as he reads the rest and I watch a blush bloom across his face.

Crowley he’s adorable. 

“Yup,” I say. “How much again?”

“Ten pounds. And, I- sorry, I’m the only delivery boy working tonight.”

I smile and slide him a fifteen pound note, “That’s alright, I still got what I wanted.”

I wink and his blush grows. He looks down at his feet, smiling.

“Well I mean, I’ve got some standards set for me,” He says, raking his eyes down my body. I smirk at that and glance back at Dev and Niall, standing in the hall mouths open.

“Hey listen,” I say, “We’re just chilling playing video games in here. Want to join once you’re off?”

Simon considers it and hands me my receipt and the pizzas.

“I’m off at ten.”

“See you then.”

I hold up the pizza boxes, “We’ll save you a piece.”

I close the door as he turns back towards his car and see Dev and Niall again.

“Oh, shut your mouths,” I say, “I’m not as hopeless as you like to think.”

“But- you-” Niall starts.

“Daaaaamn Baz have you got good taste in men.” Dev remarks.

I glance at him for a moment with a smile, “You ever considered you’re not completely straight yourself?”

Dev shoves me with his shoulder and I shove him back.

We go back to playing games and eating pizza, but I can’t help glancing at the clock over and over, waiting for it to read ten.


	22. No Matter What

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I completely blame Chloe for this one

**\-- Baz --**

 

Simon is blind. I didn’t know at first, not when he still had his magic. When he was powerful enough that he didn’t need sight. But losing it made things a lot harder. I should have known, should have realized; I don’t know how I could have been so stupid after living with him and watching him for years. He’s always running into things and tripping over stuff. But I figured that was just because he was Simon, and he had long gangly legs and no idea what to do with them.

He finally admitted it to me, after I had tossed him a cup and it had shattered near his head. He had completely freaked out, throwing himself to the floor in and curling up to protect himself. I had run over immediately. “Simon? What’s wrong? Are you okay? I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you catch that?” I soothingly stroked his back as he relaxed his muscles. 

Then he had started to explain.

“I- um- the thing is-” he bit is lip, “I can’t really - see?”

“Should we go to the doctor? Get you some glasses?”

Simons stays silent for a bit. “Simon, love, talk to me.”

He takes in a shuddering breath, tears leaking out of his blue eyes. 

“No I mean - I’m. I’m blind, Baz. I can’t see anything. It’s all gone.” He curled into my shirt, tears flowing down his cheeks as he sobbed against my shoulder.

It took him time to calm down enough to explain in in between gasping sobs. He had always been blind since he could remember, except he could use his magic to sense things around him. “Kind of like a bat,” he joked. I laughed at that, or at least tried to. I think it sounded more like I was choking. 

It wasn’t sight, but it was enough. Losing that made things impossible. I had no idea how he’d managed to hide it so long.

When I called Penny and talked to her she told me what she had found. The Mage had done this to Simon, with his spells at his conception and then his abandonment of him. The Mage had 

stolen any semblance of a normal life from Simon, making his magic explosive and taking his sight. 

I hated the Mage, but that didn’t need my focus right now. Simon needed me. 

“Listen, Simon,” I said, pulling him close to me later that night, “You know this doesn’t change anything with us right? It’s just another thing to go through together. I still love you and I’m here to take care of you, no matter what. I chose you, Simon, remember?”

Simon reaches his hand up to my face and his lips clash with mine. “I love you, Baz.”

“Come on Simon,” I stand and pull him to his feet. “I’m sure Penny will have suggestions once she’s done some research, and you know this means you could get a dog?”

Simon’s face lights up at that and I smile. 

Things are going to be okay. 

 

**\-- Simon --**

 

Baz took my blindness surprisingly well, joking quietly into my ear that he had enough supernatural senses for the both of us. He takes to holding my hand all the time, and I become accustomed to his soft voice in my ear describing what’s around me, the colors and sights of the world I’ve lost.

In some ways it’s better than before, I can actually imagine everything as it is instead of the blurry images I’m used to. 

I tell him that I don’t even need a guide dog with him around. He laughs, his breath soft against my neck from where he’s standing beside me. 

We talk about seeing doctors, and possibilities for college and how life will look like now. Baz constantly reminds me how much he loves me, with his words and his touch. And for the first time in a long time, I think that everything is going to be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
